Aug 17, 2016

Top 10 Must-Buy Australian Beauty Product When in Australia

My love for beauty products got serious when I was living in Australia. Australian women take their beauty regime very seriously. Their beauty requirements are lots of SPF, organic and natural ingredients preferred and for makeup products, they look for the simple application and long lasting effect.

My favourite places to shop are Priceline, Walmart and K-Mart for drugstore products, and Myer and David Jones for high-end products. Some of the tips that I can drop here is... for high-end products wait for Boxing Day. Massive sale happens on Boxing Day, even the newly arrived limited edition stuff is up for sale at 70% discount. I wouldn't say that will happen to all the brands & products, but most of the stuff will get price slashed. Normally for pre-Christmas, the brands will throw out a lot of freebies.

Sales person there are very honest. If you purchase before the sale, they will inform you of the sales campaign. I experienced it in Sydney, I wanted to buy a shoe and the sales person advised me to come back at 12am for a 70% discount. In terms of shopping experience, the staff really take care of the customers' welfare, even if you don't purchase from them. You won't get that kind of service in Malaysia.

On a side note, if you would like to migrate to Australia, check out www.simplemigrationsolutions.com.aufor the options available to you. The owner is my friend whom I shared a lot of life experiences with when I was in OZ. If you write to them, let them know that Jerine sent you over.

Beauty junkies, I present to you the brands that most loved in Australia...

#1 - Australis
On the top of my list is a makeup brand, Astralis. The brand is originally from Australia, as the name suggested clearly. The product quality is superb. It is as good as Maybelline and L'Oreal. This brand is highly loved by teenagers there for its reasonable price. Items to check out are mascara, Banana Powder, eyeshadow & Velourlips. Students get 25% discount if you register on their site. The counter is available at Priceline, Target, and all major supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths.

#2 - Sugar Baby
If you love tanning, you will love Sugar Baby. And if you don't love to tan, they have a wide range of body lotion and shower gel as well. The brand focus on body products. It has amazing smells and even more amazing packaging. This would be a great souvenir for your bombshell girlfriends. I often mistaken the brand with Benefit from far since they both use the pin up girls concept.

#3 - MOR
MOR is a luxury brand for body products, fragrance and home fragrance. They have wide range of scents and various products to choose from. The price can be steep, after all it is a luxury brand. The best product to try is the lip macaron and their candles. The best scents are lychee flower and honey nectar.

#4 - Bondi Sands
For SPF freaks, check out the Bondi Sands. The brand focuses on sunscreen and they have all types of texture and application that suit you. Whether you had previous experience with sunscreen that is too thick, too oily, not suitable to wear under makeup, no more excuses for you not to wear your sunscreen since there are 50 different types for you to choose. They also have self-tanning and tanning line of products.

#5 - Kora Organics
This brand is the brainchild of Victoria's Secret model, Miranda Kerr. For fans of hers or fans of organic beauty, you should try skincare. The brand is well-loved by a lot of celebrities and beauty bloggers. It might be a brand that is heavily ride on Miranda Kerr's name and fame, but the quality itself is nothing to be doubt of. The products are proudly made in Australia and 100% certified organic.Available at Walmart.

#6 - LUSH
LUSH, a brand which we are all familiar with, is one of the shop that couldn't resist everytime I pass by. And when I leave the store, I will have at least a bathbomb leaving with me. I love LUSH and I know many of you too. It is quite unfortunate for us Malaysian, that the brand didn't have a store here. So, stock up as much as you can when you're there. Also, the store is much bigger and have better selections of products compared to the one in Singapore.

#7 - AESOP
AESOP is not a foreign brand in Malaysia. However, the price is quite steep here. Take advantage of the cheaper price in Australia to try some of their best sellers such as Parsley Seed Antioxidant range, Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste Mask, and Post-Poo Drops. Fun facts, do you know AESOP was born in Australia too? Bet you didn't...

#8 - Pure Paw Paw / Lucas Papaw
In Australia, we call papaya as Paw Paw (or papaw). Isn't it sounds cute? This is the beauty of Australian slang. The papaya ointment is used as a substitute for petroleum jelly. Since petroleum jelly is not entirely safe, especially for kids, the Aussies look for a natural substitute and developed this ointment. It can be used for anything! Rashes, mosquito bites, daily moisturizer, cracked heels, etc. Every household in Australia has one of this for any emergency. Coming from a country which has the highest number of deadliest animals, you know you gotta arm one of this in your home too.

#9 - Natio
Natio is another Australian-born natural skincare brand. I'm not kidding when I say the Aussies love their skincare organic and natural. Natio is one of the best selling skincare brand in Australia. They have makeup line as well if you would like to explore makeup products that made from natural ingredients. Try their facial wash. It is gentle on the skin.

#10 - Nude by Nature
Nude made really good coverage makeup products such as face powder and foundation. For those of you who have sensitive skin and find it hard to find suitable foundation, I do recommend Nude. It is also another popular natural beauty brand that loved by Aussies. I really can't live without the loose powder. It sets my makeup and make my makeup last forever!

BONUS!
Everyone love bonus. Here are some other interesting products you can bring home for extra fun..

#11 - Jelly Belly
Great souvenir for teenager girls. It smells and tastes just like jelly beans. It is cheap and can be bought in bulk. If you have a bunch of teenage girls to "ambil hati", go for this.

#12 - Face of Australia
An Australian made makeup brand. Just like Australis, the Face of Australia is another brand that you can see in most drugstore. This brand duplicates a lot of high end products. While retaining the similar quality, the brand opt for cheaper packaging and branding to offer a lower price for their followers. I love the blush that comes with a brush. Saved me a couple of bucks from buying another blush brush.

#13 - Colour Therapy Nail Polish
This is a Sally Hansen's line which we can't find in Malaysia. The nail polish provides long lasting moisture on your nails and prevents your nails from yellowing. It doesn't harm your nails and at the same time medicate your nail problems such as chapping.

#14 - MNY by Maybelline
This is the daughter of Maybelline. The brand targets younger makeup users. While manufactured under the same roof with Maybelline, the brand offers a younger vibe with its packaging and branding. The Aussies started to use makeup at very young age (around 15), so it is not a surprise to see a lot of brands with a younger look. Get the eyeshadow, blush and lip color. Avoid the face products as it may not be suitable for you (unless you're also around the teenage age).

If you have tried any great Australian products, do share with me in the comment section. I would love to check it out. And of course, if you have any intention to migrate to Australia, go to my friend's website www.simplemigrationsolutions.com.au. She would be more than happy to answer your questions.